Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell near filibuster deal

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are closing in on a deal that would avert the “nuclear option” on the filibuster but would pare back its use in several instances, sources said Wednesday.

No deal is final, sources said, but a bipartisan accord to avert a messy partisan showdown could be announced as soon as Thursday.

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The exact contents of the package remain murky, but Reid is expected to win GOP concessions to speed debate during a handful of occasions, including to end filibusters intended to prevent debate from beginning on bills.

Reid (D-Nev.) has been pushing McConnell (R-Ky.) to drop the amount of procedural votes needed to enter a conference with the House, something the two men appear close to agreeing on. Reid has also been demanding that senators stop the practice of extending debate for 30 hours once a Senate filibuster has been defeated. And he’s called for expedited consideration of certain presidential nominations.

In the private talks, McConnell has sought to ensure Republicans get at least two amendments on bills during floor debates, sources say. And Reid appears poised to grant the request, sources say.

Reid appears to have made some concessions. He had proposed to require senators mounting a filibuster to come up with the 41 votes to do so. Current rules require those trying to defeat a filibuster to find 60 votes. Reid appears to have dropped that proposal in his talks with McConnell, sources say.

And Reid has already dropped the so-called “talking filibuster,” a plan sought by liberals in his caucus and that would require senators to carry out a stalling session on the floor, rather than threaten them. Critics in both parties worried that it would virtually eliminate the filibuster.

A deal with McConnell would prevent Reid from taking the precedent-setting move of changing the rules by 51 votes, rather than 67, a move critics dub the “nuclear option” but supporters call the “constitutional option.” Future majorities could cite the precedent to change whatever rules they want, critics fear, eroding the power of the minority.

But Reid has grown furious at what he sees as GOP obstruction, and McConnell has demanded that the majority leader allow the GOP more opportunities to amend legislation.

A deal would still allow the GOP to filibuster in a number of other situations, including to end debate and prevent an up-or-down vote. And 60 votes would still be needed to overcome a filibuster.